Dang Good Pizza Sauce

I have been making my own spaghetti sauce for a while and believe I have just about got it perfected based on what veggies are in season.  So, today, I decided to make my own pizza sauce for some homemade deep dish pizzas.  As usual, I got some ideas and guidance from various recipes, but went out on my own for the most part.  It turned out better than I had expected...yum!  I used roasted tomatoes, peppers, and onions that I roasted about a month ago and froze.  There were about 8-10 medium size Roma tomatoes, a jalapeno, a bell pepper, a sweet onion, and a couple of sweet peppers.  I also roasted a few slices of zucchini and a sliced carrot as well as fresh herbs.

PIZZA SAUCE

1 onion
1 bell pepper
4 stalks celery
hand full of fresh spinach
2 cloves of garlic
hand full of fresh basil and oregano
a sprig of fresh rosemary
(you can also use dried herbs...about 1/3 of the amount you would use of fresh)

I put all of this in my ninja and pureed.  I then added 2 tbsp of olive oil to a large pot...heated it and then added the above pureed mixture.

While that is sauteing, I added the roasted tomatoes to the Ninja and pureed until thick.

I added the tomatoes to the pan with the veggie mixture along with a bay leaf, 1 tsp of sea salt, some fresh ground pepper and a few shakes of some dried italian seasoning.  I also added 1 tsp of fennel seed and a few shakes of dried roasted garlic.
I brought it to a boil and then lowered the temp to keep it at a slow simmer.  I put the lid on the pot and let it simmer for about an hour.  It was the perfect thickness but if you want it really thick, let it simmer for about 30 minutes longer, uncovered.
I think next time I am going to start this in the morning and put it in the slow cooker on low for about 8 hours.
This recipe made enough sauce for 2 pizzas with 2 pints left over for later.  This would be great to use as dip for crusty breads and mozzarella sticks.  You could also use it as pasta sauce or in casseroles.  Don't forget to remove your bay leaf after it has cooked or someone will get an unwelcome surprise.